



^^ ** 




.0' i 













V c*''"'-^ ^ 








'i. '-t:;-' .*■«• 



:«'^^..^^'/^^'-/V./'/- 







v/^S' 







.i 





>• ^^' ^^ \^p/ v^^'x mwj ^^ ^ 



<v <^ *'T:s* g^ 









0^ "^^^ ♦-'•',**',.. °^''.^'^c 



.V> , 







^^^^ 



,^ - 




■^^^^ 



.V 




"=.- '^. o' 






r^V . • * rt ^-v -. % - s • • 





4 0<s 




LITTLE BOOK OF GARDEN SONGS 




"Whispers and smells of the sea" 



LITTLE BOOK OF 
GARDEN SONGS 



BY 



LURA COOLLEY HAMIL 



WITH DRAWINGS BY J. RANDOLPH BROWN 




Boston 

The Four Seas Company 

Publishers 



^^v 



The Four Seas Company 






Copyright, 192 1, by ' ^ • ^ 



The Four Seas Press 
Boston, Mass., U. S. A, 

MAR 3U 1322 
g)n!.A661,672 



CONTENTS 



Garden of Long Ago 

Larkspur and Lilies Tall 

Dream-Flowers 

fThe Pine-Tree 

In Far Japan 

Forsaken 

Sweet Winds that Blow 

The Worried Gardener 

Blue-bells 

The Wicket Gate . 

Transplanted 

There is a Day in Spring 

Summer Night 

The Connoisseur . 

Early-blooming Tulips . 

Darwin Tulips 

My Tree 

Canterbury Bells . 

At Touch of Spring 

Pilfered Sweets 

The Iris Border . 

The Evening Sky 

My Neighbor Elm 

New Hampshire Woods 

Noon-time Shower 

Bare Boughs 

Late Rose 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 
"Whispers and smells of the sea" Frontispiece 

"Dewy paths where fairies pass" ... 8 

"Larkspur and lilies tall" 11 

"Down streets that wind" .... 17 

"The wicket gate" 21 

"Summer night" '25 

"Canterbury bells" 31 

"The iris border" 35 

"New Hampshire woods" 39 

"Late rose" 43 



LITTLE BOOK OF GARDEN SONGS 




'Dewy paths where fairies pass' 



GARDEN OF LONG AGO 

Queen Anne's lace and sparrow grass, 
Garden pinks and fern, 
Dewy paths where fairies pass 
When fire-fly lanterns burn. 

Shadows where the holly-hocks 
Clustered by the wall 
Back of phlox and four-o'clocks 
Grow so straight and tall. 

Garden of my childhood dreams 
In memory to dwell, 
Sweeter seems than ever gleams 
From aught but magic's spell. 



[9] 



LARKSPUR AND LILIES TALL 

Larkspur and lilies tall, 

Poppies blood-red, 
Bloom by a garden wall. 

Blue sky o'erhead. 
All out-door blossoms these, 

Sturdy and strong, 
Kissed by the summer breeze 

The whole day long. 

Lark, bee and humming-bird 

All loiter here 
And by sheer gladness stirred 

Thrushes sing clear. 
A sheltered place is this, 

Peaceful and still, 
Green fields around and high 

One sheltering hill. 

Bring me your blossoms all, 

Come, children dear! 
Sit with me by this wall; 

We'll weave them here, 
Larkspur and lilies tall. 

Poppies blood-red, 
Fragrance and grace recall 

Beauty long dead. 

[Copyright, 1921, by Arthur P. Schmidt Co.] 
[10] 




'Larkspur and lilies tall' 



DREAM-FLOWERS 

In my mother's garden are growing 
Flowers I used to see, 
And a soft wind is ever blowing 
That whispers and smells of the sea. 

Now and then through the hours 
My curtains sway in the air 
And set me to dreaming of flowers 
Like the painted blossoms there. 

Flowers born in the sunshine and nurtured by wind 

and rain. 
I seize them and hold them and love them, though I 

never shall walk there again! 



[12] 



THE PINE-TREE 

The pine-tree's branches are darkly green 
And it grows so straight and high 
As though it made for the flowers a screen 
Against the burning sky. 

In the deepest shade the flowers are few 
Who choose in that spot to grow. 
But crocuses do and violets blue 
With yellow and white for show. 

But against its greenness the flowers all 
Show in lovely silhouette. 

There are lilies and larkspur and fox-glove tall 
And poppies and mignonette. 

And the spicy breath of the pine-tree blends 
With the scent of the flowers there 
As its height to the humble garden lends 
A gravely distinguished air. 



[13] 



IN FAR JAPAN 

In far Japan the iris grow 

On the roofs of the houses there. 

Fair in the sunshine planted, the fragrance sweet 

does go 
With every breeze through the stunted trees 
In those Japanese gardens fair. 

It is an isle of blossoms sweet 

And the little people know 

Secrets we blindly grope for, so delicate, so fleet. 

Is the magic they, in their foreign way, 

Use to make their flowers grow. 



[14] 



FORSAKEN 

I know a garden where the daffodils 
And crocuses grow wild and every spring 
Untended, show their colors. Sweetness fills 
The air and strangers pause to drink it in. 
Palsied the hand that planted. Still they bring 
Sweet memories of care that theirs has been. 



[15] 



SWEET WINDS THAT BLOW 

Sweet winds that blow, 

And bring the scent of blossoms back to me 
From an old garden planted by the sea 
Loved long ago. 

Down streets that wind 

With turnings well-remembered from my youth, 
Past door-ways stark and unadorned as truth, 
My way I'd find. 

For I could go 

Blind-folded, so my memory holds the place 
And know again each gentle kindly face 
I used to know. 

Sweet winds that blow 

And bring the scent of blossoms back to me 
From an old garden planted by the sea 
Loved long ago. 



[16] 




'Down streets that wind' 



THE WORRIED GARDENER 

It is cold and the wind grows colder. 

I fear for my flowers so. 
They need the sun till they're older. 

They have only started to grow. 

I can not cover them over 

For the wind blows the blanket away. 
He acts like a spiteful rover. 

I have fought with him all the day. 

All my way to school and returning 
I faced the cold and the rain. 

If my cheeks could share their burning, 
My flowers would be warm again. 



[18] 



BLUE BELLS 

Pendant bells like joy-bells ringing, 
Breath of woodland sweetness bringing. 
Sun and air and wood-birds singing 
Blue-bells meant to me. 

Childhood's roaming and exploring 
Shady paths, old joys restoring. 
Laughter, love and youth's out-pouring, 
You recall to me. 



[19] 



THE WICKET GATE 

They wanted a wicket gate to be 
Where the garden should begin. 

They planned it beautiful to see 
For it shuts the flowers in. 

They made for it an arch all new. 
And planted there a rose. 

Oh, it does show a lovely view 
When you turn the gate to close! 



[20] 



^^4 *! r^ -, 




'^^^i 



"The wicket gate' 



TRANSPLANTED 

Hidden away in a corner I know 

Are shy woods* flowers that used to grow 

Far from the haunts of men. 

They whisper of days that shall be no more 

But sheltered safe they bloom at my door 

As sweetly as they bloomed then. 

For the warm sun finds them here as there 

And the first spring breezes blow as fair, 

As gently wake them here 

From their dreams as sweet as in vanished days 

When they nestled far from our trodden ways 

And they wake with the waking year. 



[22] 



THERE IS A DAY IN SPRING 

There is a day in spring, a moment rather 
When all the joys of all the year are pressed 
Into one brimming measure, and the town 
New-washed and fragrant sweet, appears to gather 
A robe of gauze, transparent, to a breast 
That beats in kindliness beneath the gown. 
Then all the tender green or arching trees 
And all the spring-time scents that fill the air, 
Streets framed in beauty, evanescent, rare. 
Bring some fantastic lightening of care 
And men laugh, sing, forget life's dull decrees 
Or with new courage run their task to seize, 
Finding it, too, transfigured and as fair. 



[23] 



SUMMER NIGHT 

Night slowly closes in and gently comes 
The dark, soft stealing in, encircling us 
With many soft and fragrant murmurings 
As sinks to rest all nature. Drowsy hums 
Some insect round the door where luminous 
The radiance attracts them. Whisperings 
Of birds that hidden somewhere in the trees 
Keep up their soft-voiced chirping through the night, 
And distant first, then near, an owl's long trill 
Are all that breaks the stillness. Fresh the breeze 
Springs up and brings a radiant new delight 
From blossoms stirring that but now were still. 



[24] 




"Summer night' 



THE CONNOISSEUR 

They look so gay on their slender stems 

All in their bright red and yellow, 

Massed where the tangled shrubbery hems 

The tidy lawn, and the sunlight mellow 

Picks out their colors like wonderful gems 

So lighting their corner, a much duller fellow 

Than I would know tulips, all bright red and yellow. 



[26] 



EARLY-BLOOMING TULIPS 

All so proud and arrogant you're growing, 

Tulips in a rov/! 
Steady face the April wind a-blowing 

As you'd face a foe. 
Gaily dressed, your colors so deceiving 
Breathe no perfume, no sweet fragrance leaving. 
Proud you are and haughty past believing, 

Tulips in a row. 



[27] 



DARWIN TULIPS 

Colors to please an artist the Darwin tulip shows, 
Graceful and tall and lovely in mauve and purple and 

rose 
Like ladies all dressed for a party, gracious and 

gentle and fair, 
They light up the whole glad garden in their new 

spring colors there. 



[28] 



MY TREE 

In spring my tree is like a lovely out-stretched fan 
Whose feather tips are leafy fronds so fair and 

delicate against the sky. 
Its tender colors run the gamut through 
Showing in turn each lovely tint and new 
As day does die. 

Stirred by the wind's touch gentle tremors run 
Through all the tracery. The whole as one 
Stirs and is swayed like some fair woman's fan. 



[29] 



CANTERBURY BELLS 

What poet named you Canterbury bells? 
What artist looked into your lovely face 
And found fit naming for your sturdy grace? 
Blue sky as England's own above you bends. 
Greensward like that of England round you here 
Enchantment makes, and bees from far and near 
Circle you round. Their cadenced humming lends 
A rhythm like the sound of distant bells. 



[30] 




'Canterbury bells' 



AT TOUCH OF SPRING 

But yesterday 

They kept, tight-folded, all their sweetness in 
Nor deigned to share it. Then did Spring begin 
To coax each bud. Warm rain and sunny day 
Have worked the magic and each spendthrift breeze 
Carries a wealth of fragrance and the trees 
On every hill are blossoming, are blossoming 
At touch of Spring. 



[32] 



PILFERED SWEETS 

Bees to honey-suckle stealing, 

Blooms too deep your sweets concealing — 

So to bandit hordes appealing 

Your sweetness and your flavour. 

Humming-birds like swift thoughts darting, 
Wav'ring, ling'ring — sudden starting, 
Airy grace that makes sad parting. 
Their trust their faith, their favor. 

Spendthrift of your sweets, beguiling 
Thieves by vain flirtatious smiling. 
Small the wonder by such wiling 
They seek to taste, to savor. 



[33] 



THE IRIS BORDER 

Iris border all a-bloom. Lavenders and blues. 
Yellows in their many tints do our choice confuse. 
All to sight are beautiful. Orchid-like they bloom 
Making of this sheltered spot a lovely fragrant room. 
Pallida Dalmatica, stately name and flower, 
Sweetest blossom of them all. Yours the crowning 

hour. 
Lavish of the sweetness in your orange-flower scent. 
Odors of fair Araby in its fragrance blent. 
Queen you are and should be ever. Charms that will 

not pall 
Yours by right and not by favor, sweetest of them all. 



[34] 




"The iris border' 



THE EVENING SKY 

The white moonlight like silver rain sifts through 

the leafy trees; 
Through ghostly mist of amethyst and yellow shines 

the moon. 
A lovely sight the dappled white adrift before the 

breeze, 
The sky doth try her beauties all to show in one 

glad June. 

Last night the light still fairer was as fell the 

evening down. 
The western sky as day did die held all the passing 

throng. 
The western glow did linger so they watched it from 

the town, 
Forgot their lot, and on the sky read plain God's 

even-song. 



[36] 



MY NEIGHBOR ELM 

Where late you showed against the sky- 
In tracings intricate and fine 
I now look into leafy lanes 
Wliere birds do nest and fledglings fly 
In crude and clumsy travesty 
Of task set for them and their gains 
You seem to note, oh friendly tree, the same as mine. 

Benevolence and stately grace 
Are yours and strength and hardihood. 
The sunshine falls upon your head 
Undimmed through years that leave no trace. 
You hold secure your honored place 
Nor winter's stormy rigors dread, 
Such storms you've weathered, friendly tree, such 
gales withstood. 



[37] 



NEW HAMPSHIRE WOODS 

I close my eyes and see trees stretch away 

In aisles and vistas whose beginnings here 

Picked out in vivid colors once have flamed 

Upon my sight. Hear all around 

Above and underfoot the soft light sound 

Of autumn leaves' slow falling. Tang of frost in air 

And squirrels busy frisking everywhere. 

The summer's radiance somehow tamed 

Yet all renewed as the declining year 

Brings us its choicest, an October day. 



[38] 




"New Hampshire woods" 



NOON-TIME SHOWER 

Crashing their noisy way the leafy maples through 

The summer rain-drops fall in sudden shower 

And children hurrying from school 

Take refuge where they may, so straight and true 

Do fall the heavy drops. The air is cool 

And sweet; new-washed each shining leaf and flower. 



[40] 



BARE BOUGHS 

Grateful and cool the shade 

When thick the leaves grew on each clustering bough. 

But now, when I their course can trace 

Against the sky where bare they interlace 

I think they never made 

A picture fair as they do now. 

All one expanse of green, 

There was small difference on summer day. 

But now each line some beauty shows 

And like a lovely etching grows. 

Against the sky is seen 

In tracing clear their devious way. 

Color and form they show. 

Likeness and infinite diversity. 

Drawn by a master hand they mark 

In clear unerring way the dark 

Bold lines that vary so. 

How quick we know each differing tree! 

The autumn sky is cold 

And chill the autumn winds around them blow, 

But sturdily they face the wind 

That has their fading foliage thinned, 

And bared the branches old 

Which green another spring will show. 



[41] 



LATE ROSE 

All the bright beauty of a summer dead 
Shines in your face and form, O rose of mine! 
Blooming so late dressed all in dusky red 
With shades and broiderings and graceful line 
That speaks to me of beauty like your own 
Which lately shown in this loved garden spot 
Where now I come to mourn them and alone 
I find you blooming gaily, though forgot. 

Your petals softly modelled, are as sweet 
As those your sister roses wore of late. 
Sweeter perhaps, I know not, and you greet 
Me with a courage and a grace sedate. 
For you no sunny sky or langourous days. 
For you the autumn's chill and clouded sky. 
One burst of sunshine — lo our wondering gaze 
You hold out promise fair and message high. 

Prized far beyond those others who did late 
Crowd in such bright profusion, summer-kissed. 
And for your gay presumption, some kind fate 
Has kept for you alone the joy they missed. 
Supreme you reign over the garden you 
Would have bloomed in unnoticed months ago; 
And for your daring we give homage true. 
A Queen of roses, may you linger so! 



[42] 




•Late rose' 







































^' ..-'j/^^^ 




o ■' .<?,^ 



<1* *.,l' ^^ 



*?^^ *9i,o' .'?>^ 




,^'>'\ 



A^"^ 

■5.^ '^^ 



